South Korea restarts troubled nuclear reactor

January 01, 2013 - 3:55:16 am

SEOUL: South Korea yesterday restarted one of three nuclear reactors shut down for safety reasons, easing fears of power shortages during the harsh winter.

Half of the six reactors at Yeonggwang, one of the country’s largest nuclear power complexes, were shut down in November, two of them to replace “non-core” parts that had been provided with forged quality and safety warranties.

The Ministry of Knowledge Economy said operators restarted one reactor at Yeonggwang in the evening following approval by the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission.

BEIJING: Chinese fishermen detained for illegal fishing in Japan’s waters were released yesterday after promising to pay a 4.28 million yen ($49,700) fine, China’s state news agency Xinhua said, citing the consulate general in Japan’s southwestern city of Fukuoka.

Xinhua said the detention of the three fishermen for unauthorised coral fishing within Japanese waters was “peacefully resolved” within 48 hours.

The detention comes as tensions simmer between China and Japan over ownership of disputed islands near Taiwan, known as Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China. The dispute had sparked waves of anti-Japanese protests in Chinese cities this year.

Taiwan to upgrade dozens of fighter jets

TAIPEI: Taiwan plans to complete the first stage of an ambitious plan to upgrade its fighter jet force by the end of 2013, in an effort to maintain a credible deterrent against China into the 2030s.

Some 60 of Taiwan’s Indigenous Defence Fighters (IDFs) will be upgraded and ready for deployment within 12 months, according to a report submitted to parliament by the defence ministry.

The aircraft will be equipped with enhanced radar, avionics and electronic warfare capabilities, along with a locally-produced cluster bomb, according to the report. The remainder of the country’s 127-strong fleet of IDFs will be upgraded by 2017, the report said. Agencies